Lecture on William Ellery Channing

Historical Society to Host Lecture on William Ellery Channing

William Ellery Channing, the famous early 19th Century Unitarian preacher from Newport and Boston whose liberal philosophy inspired transcendentalists like Emerson and Thoreau, loved his family farm in Portsmouth more than any other place. Throughout his life, he spent entire summers at Oakland Farm, later purchased by the Vanderbilts. Sundays would invariably find him preaching or simply talking about religion and life with the farmers and fishermen who attended the non-denominational Christian Church in Portsmouth, now the Portsmouth Historical Society Museum. 

On Sunday, August 6, at 1 PM, Rev. William Zelazny, minister at the historic Channing Memorial Unitarian Universalist Church in Newport, will talk about Channing life’s and philosophy at the Portsmouth Historical Society headquarters (870 East Main Road), in the very church whose congregation Channing inspired for so long. After to talk there will be light refreshments and time to tour the historical society’s many exhibits of more than 400 years of life in Portsmouth.

This event is open to the public, no pre-registration required. The event is free to members. There is a $5 donation charge for non-members, which includes admission to the museum. Please note that the second floor hall access is not handicap accessible.